Horner's syndrome (sometimes referred to as Horner's syndrome) - a disorder of the sympathetic nerves, which leads to a violation of the innervation of the eye muscles. Visually seen a lowered eyelid, constriction of the pupil, the eye flowing and certain other motor dysfunctions. It occurs equally in people of all ages, can be congenital. In children Horner's syndrome often results in multi-colored iris, when a child's eye has a dark color, and the second - light. The disease is relatively rare, but treatment delivers hassle neurologists.

Causes of disease

Immediately the main reason for the emergence of Bernard-Horner's triad is a total violation of the section of the sympathetic nervous system. As a rule, the root of the problem lies in the medulla oblongata, where the neurons of the nucleus, walking along the optic canal to the eyes. Due to damage any parts of the nerve processes of developing a violation of the momentum transfer. This leads, in turn, to the eye pathological muscle innervation.

To date, there are three groups of causes that can lead to the defeat of these sections of the sympathetic system:

• birth;
• purchased;
• iatrogenic.

Sometimes Horner's syndrome occurs immediately at birth - for any abnormalities during embryogenesis. However, it should be noted that this type of congenital syndrome is quite rare. Much more common loss of nerve fibers due to medical treatment of neurological diseases or surgery (iatrogenic way of development syndrome). The most common pathologies that lead to the acquired forms of the syndrome of Bernard-Horner are such illnesses as:

• head trauma with multiple injuries of internal structures;
• aortic aneurysm, especially complicated rassloykoy;
• various thyroid disease;
• malignant tumors are localized in the brain;
• severe headaches clustered nature.

In addition, Claude Bernard-Horner syndrome may develop as a result of some rare neurological conditions such as syringomyelia.

Symptomatology

Horner's Syndrome - Symptoms fundamental symptoms of this disease is the famous triad of Bernard-Horner, which includes such states:

• ptosis (drooping, loss) of the upper eyelid;
• miosis (abnormal narrowing) of the pupil;
• enophthalmos (sticking of the eyeball).

All three symptoms occurring simultaneously, almost certainly indicate Horner syndrome. This affected only one half of the face, which is subject to effects of the triad. Apart from the usual motor disorders observed violation of sweating and tearing, redness and dilation of small blood vessels. Not constricted pupil responds not only to light, but on different medicaments. In children, congenital Horner syndrome can lead to heterochromia - due to violation of the innervation of the eyeball iris pigmented bad, and the child's eyes are a different color.

All the symptoms of such diseases as Horner's syndrome, muscle paresis explained century, the iris and the main muscles of the eye orbital.

Diagnostics

Horner's Syndrome - Diagnosis Diagnostic postulation of the presence of the patient's syndrome Claude Bernard-Horner rests on a thorough analysis of the causes constriction of the pupil and ptosis of the upper eyelid. Primarily the doctor must use a so-called cocaine test - in the eyes of patients buried special drops with a small amount of cocaine sulfate. Normal pupil react to this medicine sharp expansion, and with the defeat of Horner syndrome extension (mydriasis) will not be observed. Using oksamfetaminovogo spot test to determine quantitatively the degree of damage of the sympathetic nerves in this syndrome. In this method, eye drops based on amphetamine also extend the pupil, but only if the third (last) neuron innervation in the eye is functioning normally. Otherwise it is damaged.

Research omission century with such diseases as Horner's syndrome is aimed at differential diagnosis to rule out conventional defeat of the oculomotor nerve. The syndrome of Bernard-Horner ptosis has an average level or a bland, sometimes barely noticeable. The pupil at the same time always narrowed. And if the oculomotor nerve is damaged, the omission of the century is quite pronounced, the pupil greatly expanded.

Further diagnosis is aimed at establishing the main causes of Horner's syndrome in order to assign the correct treatment. At the same time it fixed the degree of damage of sympathetic neurons, which affects the further course of treatment. At this stage of the studies used computer and magnetic resonance tomography.

Treatment

Horner's Syndrome - Treatment Bernard-Horner syndrome is never fatal, and in many cases, having a rather weak manifestations, almost does not cause discomfort. Active treatment of the disease is carried out only at the stage of progression. Basically, there are three areas of elimination syndrome:

• symptomatic;
• neyrostimuliruyuschee;
• reasons.

In order to certainly get rid of Horner's syndrome, it is necessary to reliably determine and eliminate the main patognomicheskuyu cause that has provoked the appearance of neurological disorders. In milder forms of causal treatment of disorders of the sympathetic system is enough.

In other cases, a neurostimulation currents of weak voltage. During the procedure, the damaged area through electricity passed neurons, which stimulates the muscle. Neurostimulation manner quite painful, so it should only be a high-class specialist. Horner's syndrome often leads to aesthetic and cosmetic disorders caused by paresis of the eye muscles, resulting in recommended help of a plastic surgeon.